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Cougars run out of magic in title game; Butler wins Region VI
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DODGE CITY — The magic carpet ride is over.
A memorable post season run for the Barton women’s basketball team came to an end in the Region VI Championships Tuesday night in Dodge City.
The Cougars magic carpet came crashing down with a 84-52 loss to Butler at the United Wireless Arena.
“I wish we could have put on a better showing than we did, I think we got a little big gassed,” Coach Alan Clark said. “It caught up to us.”
The win gave Butler back-to-back Region VI titles and a trip to the NJCAA Championships in Lubbock, Texas in a couple of weeks.
After playing two of their best games of the season in the quarterfinals and semifinals, Barton ran out of gas in the title game.
“We made a good run,” Coach Clark said. “There is nothing for these girls to hang their head about.”
In addition to the struggles offensively for Barton, the Cougars ran into a red-hot shooting Butler team.
Butler was relentless from long range. The Grizzlies hit 13 treys after making just one in the semifinals.
Butler finished 13-of-31 but that doesn’t tell the entire story. The Grizzlies missed their final seven treys in mop up time in the final period. To that point, the Grizzlies were 13-of-24.
“We needed to have those kind of 3-point numbers if we wanted to win,” Coach Clark said.
Things started to get away from Barton midway through the second quarter.
The Cougars took a 22-20 lead on a Richelle Turney 3-pointer 7:42 before half. Barton would not score another point for nearly three minutes.
During that time, Butler ran off seven straight to take the lead. The lead would reach eight, 33-25 with 2:36 to play and eventually nine on a Ravon Nero’s fourth 3-pointer of the half with 20 seconds left.
The Cougars were able to add a pair of Turney free throws before the break, going to intermission down 38-31.
In the stunning semifinal win over Hutchinson Monday, the Cougars owned the third quarter.
Not against Butler. In fact, quit the opposite as things got out of hand.
The lone bucket Barton could muster in that third period was a Queen Ulabo trey early. In addition, the Cougars, who had not missed a free throw its previous two games, hit just 2-of-6 from the charity stripe for a total of five third period points.
Meanwhile, Butler poured in 29 points.
By the time the third period mercifully came to an end for the Cougars, Butler had a 67-36 lead and the Cougars season was essentially over.
“We need to continue to build on this,” Coach Clark said. “It’s our second straight time in the semifinals and the first time Barton’s been in the final in 12 years.”
Turney led Barton with 15 in her final game as a Cougar followed by Oduah with 14 and Ulabo with 10.
Also playing for the final time was D’Shonda Hunt, Kolby Davis and Paige Talbott.
Nero finished with a game-high 27 on 6-of-10 3-point shooting.

Butler 84, Barton 52
Barton  14  17  5   16 – 52
Butler   18  20  29  17 – 84
Barton (18-16) 52
Turney 5-12 3-4 15, Hunt 0-2 0-2 0, Dortland 1-5 0-0 3, Ulabo 3-13 3-4 10, Oduah 6-18 1-2 14, Willt 0-0 0-0 0, Talbott 0-0 1-2 1, Valentine 1-3 5-7 7, Davis 1-1 0-0 2, Branzovski 0-0 0-0 0, Miller 0-2 0-0 0. Totals – 17-56 13-21 52.
Butler (25-8) 84
Nero 10-20 1-3 27, Downs 7-20 2-2 18, Nard 4-8 2-4 10, Gross 2-7 0-0 4, McLaurian 5-9 0-0 13, Livingston 1-1 0-0 2, Rosa 0-0 0-0 0, Beck 2-4 0-0 6, Johnson 2-4 0-1 4, Givens 0-3 0-0 0, Hett 0-4 0-0 0. Totals – 33-80 5-10 84.
3-pointers – Barton 5-23 (Turney 2-4, Ulabo 1-4, Dortland 1-5, Oduah 1-8, Valentine 0-1, Miller 0-1), Butler 13-31 (Nero 6-10 McLaurian 3-3, Beck 2-4, Downs 2-7, Nard 0-1, Givens 0-1, Hett 0-3).
Rebounds – Barton 41 (Ulabo 11), Butler 51 (Nard 14). Assists – Barton 13 (Oduah 4), Butler 22 (Downs 8). Steals – Barton 6 (Oduah 3), Butler 13 (Downs 5). Blocks – Barton 2 (Ulabo 2), Butler 5 (Nard 2, Beck 2).
Turnovers – Barton 23, Butler 13. Fouled Out – Gross, Butler. Technicals – None.

Women’s Region VI Playoffs
First Round, Wednesday, Feb. 25
E1 Butler (22-8) receives a bye
E5 Neosho 84, W4 Pratt 64
W2 Seward 113, E7 Allen 58
W6 Colby 66, E3 Indy 63 (OT)
W1 Hutch (27-3) receives a bye
E4 Cowley 100, W5 Dodge 95
E2 Coffeyville 79, W7 Garden 65
W3 Barton 65, E6 Cloud 52

At Dodge City United Wireless Arena
Quarterfinals, Saturday, February 29
E1 Butler 88, E5 Neosho 53
W2 Seward 63, W6 Colby 46
W1 Hutch 69, E4 Cowley 48
W3 Barton 78, E2 Coffeyville 61

Semifinals, Monday, March 2
E1 Butler 70, W2 Seward 65
W3 Barton 58, W1 Hutch 57

Finals, Tuesday, March 3
E1 Butler 84, W3 Barton 52
Butler (25-8) advances to NJCAA Championships